Pregnancy and termination options

Pregnancy and sex go hand-in-hand. If you think you are pregnant then it’s important to know for sure as soon as you can.

Finding out you are pregnant can either be fantastic news, or very daunting and frightening. You may not know how you feel.

If you don’t want to continue with your pregnancy, don’t panic. There are options available so whatever your situation, there is help and support available.

If you’re not sure about whether you are ready for pregnancy or not, finding out early gives you more time to consider all the options available to you.

If you’ve had unprotected sex (condom-less), you should also consider STI testing.

If you think you could be pregnant then you should take a pregnancy test. These are easily available from:

• high street pharmacies
• supermarkets
• you can also ask for pregnancy tests from your local GP.

Modern tests are extremely reliable if you test at least 3 weeks (21 days) after you’ve had sex.

You will need to pee on a test stick, or into a cup to drop some pee on the test, and you will usually get a result in a few minutes. It’s important to follow the instructions as tests can be slightly different.

If your test is positive, then you can decide to continue the pregnancy, or terminate the pregnancy (also known as abortion). You can also consider adoption options.

You can talk to a healthcare professional about your options at your local GP or sexual health clinic.

If you have tested positive and want to continue with the pregnancy, you can search for maternity services in your area via the NHS website.

The pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s also has some great resources to help support you through your pregnancy.

If you’re not ready to be a parent or the pregnancy is unwanted, then there are termination options available to you. See ‘What are my termination options’ section for more.

Abortion (also known as a termination) is the medical process of ending a pregnancy.

There are two types of abortion: medical and surgical abortion.

• Medical abortion involves taking two types of medication to end the pregnancy.
• Surgical abortion uses a minor operation to end the pregnancy.

Abortion is legal before 24 weeks of pregnancy in England, Scotland and Wales.

Abortions are available free of charge under the NHS and abortion advice is available from your local GP or sexual health clinic.

• You will need to be referred for abortion services within a hospital and they will advise on the best option for you
• It’s important to think about ongoing contraception after abortion. You can get pregnant straightaway after an abortion
• Having an abortion should not affect your chances of conceiving in the future
• If you’ve had unprotected sex, it is important to test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

An abortion is your choice and your choice only.

In addition to local hospital services, you can self-refer, free of charge, to MSI Reproductive Choices  which has branches in Exeter, Paignton and Plymouth. This service offers medical abortions (up to 9 weeks and 6 days), which involves taking pills at home and surgical abortions, (up to 23 weeks and 6 days) in Bristol. They will discuss the best option for you.

For more information, call their 24 hour advice line: 0345 300 8090.

If you are a resident of Somerset, it is also possible to self-refer to BPAS (nearest branch is in Taunton). Services are dependent on your geographical location, and may incur a fee.   To contact BPAS call 03457 30 40 30.

Help with funding can be applied through Abortion Support Network.

To access free NHS abortions, you can:

• Ask your GP to refer you. If you live in Exeter, North or East Devon, you can be referred to the NHS abortion service via your GP or local sexual health clinic. The NHS abortion service offers surgery in Exeter, Barnstaple or Plymouth, along with early medical abortion options at home for up to 18 weeks of pregnancy.
• For Torbay residents, there is the TOPAS service. They have a direct line: 01803 217711 (lines are open Monday – Friday, 9.00 – 16.00. Or you can contact them via email: tsdft.topas@nhs.net. You can self refer to this service. More information can be found at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.
• For Devon residents, in addition to local hospital services, you can self-refer, free of charge, to MSI Reproductive Choices  which has branches in Exeter, Paignton and Plymouth. Call 0345 300 8090 for further information.

In addition, your local sexual health clinic can help advise of the options available to you and also help screen for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if required.

Emergency contraception (also known as the morning-after pill), is designed to prevent pregnancy when you have not used a method of contraception, or your normal methods have failed. For example, a condom splits or you forget to take your contraceptive pill.

For more information, see our emergency contraception page.